Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1)

by Chloe Walsh

“I’m your daddy on the field, bitch.” I smiled darkly and squeezed, cutting off his air supply.

I had a feeling he had something to do with it. Johnny Kavanagh. I mean, he had to, right? I didn’t have that kind of power, so that left him.

“Boys with pretty eyes and big muscles mess everything up for girls.”

I wasn’t sure if I even loved him anymore. Or if I ever had. Not when he terrified me worse than any of the bullies at school ever had…

“Yeah, well, I don’t have a rugby-shaped head,” Gibsie grumbled. He looked to Johnny. “Do I?” “No, Gibs.” Johnny sighed. “Your head’s not shaped like a rugby ball.” “Really?” He touched his head self-consciously. “Because I weighed like twelve pounds when I was born, and my mam’s always bitching to her friends about how I wrecked her with my big head.” “It’s a perfectly normal head, Gibs,” Johnny coaxed. “Very circular.” “Not too big?” “You grew into it,” he assured him. “Fits you fine now.”

“We’re going to the cinema,” he stated with a devilish grin. “Who’s we?” Johnny bit out, tensing beside me. Gibsie circled his finger around the four of us.

His features softened instantly as he looked down at me and smiled. “Bye, Shannon.”

My gaze danced between all three of them, moving from Ronan, who wasn’t yanking on the handle anymore—in fact, he’d taken a few steps away from the door—to Gibsie, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat, before landing and staying on Johnny.

“Fuck you, Kavanagh,” Ronan shouted back, but his face was much paler than earlier. “You can’t touch me.” “One,” Johnny barked. “Two, three, four…” “What are you waiting for?” Gibsie called out, waving his hands in the air encouragingly. “Get going, Forrest.”

I was going to kill that little fucker.

“I was only talking to her,” he strangled out, red-faced. “Christ.” “Well, don’t talk to her!” I spat out, glaring down at his stupid fucking face. “Don’t look at her, and don’t fucking touch her. She’s not for you.” With great effort, I forced myself to release him and stand back. “Are we clear this time?”

My eyes widened. “You didn’t kill him, did you?” He barked out a laugh. “No, Shannon, I didn’t kill him.” “Oh, okay.” I breathed a heavy sigh. “That’s good.” He tilted his head to one side, expression curious, voice soft. “Is it?” “Well, I–I… Yeah,” I choked out. “I guess it’s always good to avoid a murder charge.”

I had learned a valuable lesson tonight though, and that was to never ask a girl what she was thinking if you weren’t prepared to take a huge fucking knock to the ego.

“It’s important for the school. I need to be match fit.” “And you’re not match fit now?” “Of course, I am.” “Then what’s with the limp?” My mouth fell open. “What?” “Your leg,” she replied. “You’re not putting your weight on it.” Shannon’s earlier words filled my mind and I balked. “I’m not fucking limping!”

“You are so concerned with fighting the bullies at school, Mam,” I sobbed, tears streaming down my cheeks, “when the biggest bully of them all lives under this roof.”

“Leave,”

“Not you,” Johnny whispered in my ear, settling me in front of him. “Them.” His blue-eyed gaze darted to the two older boys watching us with curious expressions, and in a tone that left no room for discussion, he said, “Go.”

“What happened?” he demanded, glaring down at me. “Who the fuck made you cry?” “What?” I breathed, shaking my head. “I’m not crying.” “Your eyes are red and swollen,” he deadpanned. “You’ve been crying.” His eyes moved to my cheek. “The fuck happened to your face?”

“Give me a name,” Johnny growled, dropping his hands to his hips. “And I’ll take care of it.” “What—no! I’m grand,” I quickly replied. “I have allergies.” “Me too. To assholes and bullshit,” Johnny snarled. “Now, tell me who made you cry and I’ll fix it.”

“I’ll take care of you.”

“Now,” I sneered, glaring down at their faces. “Who wants to call my girlfriend a whore to my face?”

You stupid fucker.

He held my hand. Johnny Kavanagh actually put my hand in his.

“Hey, Johnny, I think your friends are here.” I was fairly sure I heard Johnny mutter the words dear god, no under his breath moments before several of his teammates came barreling toward us, disrupting everyone in their seats as they pushed through the crowds and settled in the seats in front of ours.

You could love this girl your whole life, the

crazy thought persisted inside my brain over and over, if you just let yourself.

Straight to your house because I wanna fuck your sister,

Turning to Gibsie, I mouthed the words Keep your mouth shut.

“What the fuck is that?” he demanded, voice deathly quiet, as his blue eyes blazed with fire.

“You like her.” He arched another brow at me and tilted his head to one side. “Maybe even more than like her.”

Trembling, I clung to his body and prayed for him to be my strength in this moment because I couldn’t do this anymore. I couldn’t live like this. I was so alone. All my life. I was so scared.

Joey just stared at me, eyes filled with tears. “I can’t,” he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek. “If I go back inside that house, I’ll kill them both.”

“Someone touched you,” Johnny whispered in my ear, placing his fingers on the marks. “I want to know who.”

Releasing an unsteady breath, I reached up, grabbed Johnny’s neck, and pulled his face down to mine. And then I kissed him.

“Jesus Christ,” Johnny groaned, dropping his head in his hands. “Of course, I like you.” He tugged on his hair and sighed. “I think it’s pretty fucking clear that I’m mad about you.”

So much for not bulldozing. They might as well slap a CAT sticker on my forehead and switch on my hazards, I seemed to do so much of it around this girl.

“Because it looks good on you.”

Don’t worry, baby, I thought to myself. I’m flustered too.

Johnny had a pinched expression when he said, “A Maroon 5 song.” “Oh?” I looked up at him. “Which one?” He shifted in discomfort. “‘She Will Be Loved.’”

Ew

“No, baby, I don’t mind.”

I love you with everything I have. And I probably always will.

“Lines and bulldozers, my friend,” Gibsie shot back with a meaningful look.

Songs for Shannon.

Coldplay—“Yellow”

Goo Goo Dolls—“Iris”

The La’s—“There She Goes”

“I remember the girl,” I slurred.

And then I heard those two words. “Hi, Johnny.”

My head is hiiiigh as balls, baby.”